April Showers
by JazzGirl123
Summary: Adrienette April. Cross-posted on ao3. Day VI: Being Jealous. Should I smile because we're friends, or cry because that's all we'll ever be?
1. I: Kisses

To some cats, catnip was the only drug that mattered. The not-so-innocent plant incited raw emotion, all worried vanishing as felines let themselves bask in their carefree days.

Well, with all due respect to catnip, Adrien had a different drug in mind that was far more mind-numbing and addictive.

The way Marinette threw back her head and exposed the pale skin of her neck to him, allowing him to press his mouth over it with hot and moist kisses - that was something worth pushing a little plant away.

Her fingers gripped his blonde locks as her free hand ran under his shirt, feeling the flaming hot skin of his back.

She was his everything, from the way her eyes her lit up when she got excited; from the way she'd untie her ponytails and tease him with not only her little red ribbons but her long raven hair; from the way she would hold him and not say a word when she knew he simply needed the comfort of company.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was the most wondrous drug he had ever been exposed to, and he knew he was doomed to be addicted to her for all of time.

Adrien grinned against her throat as he pressed his girlfriend further against the cushion of her chaise, reveling in the way her pretty pink lips parted as she arched her back, seeking his touch.

"Eager, Princess?"

She let out a soft groan.

"Shut up. Keep kissing me, chaton."

"As my Lady commands."

 **OoOoO**

Their first kiss was when they were fifteen though Marinette refused to count it.

"It was to a break a curse," she wailed whenever he got cocky and brought it up. "You don't even remember it!"

"Doesn't matter; my Princess saved me from a wicked, wicked curse," he teased. "My hero."

Blushing, Marinette pushed him off of her chaise and pointedly ignored him as he laughed on the carpet.

 **OoOoO**

Their second kiss had been accidental. Well, it wasn't an accident, per say, but getting carried away most certainly was…

"I-I'm sorry?" Marinette stuttered, eyes blown wide as she looked up at the model.

He gave her a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of her neck.

"I mean...it's a shame we didn't get to finish the scene. Mylene and Ivan are great," he said quickly, despite the couple not being around. "But well...I thought we could finish the scene, just to see how it would have gone?"

The Scene.

As in, the scene where her character kissed his; where Marinette was supposed to kiss Adrien.

An inhumane noise garbled its way out of her throat as she continued to gape at him. The seconds ticked by, and he began to shift a bit awkwardly.

"Unless, of course, that's too weird…." Adrien said finally, avoiding her gaze. "I just never really did something like this before…"

"You're in front of the camera all the time," blurted Marinette.

He chuckled, and boy, if his laugh wasn't the most beautiful thing she had ever heard, she didn't know what was.

"Well...that's true, but I mean...I'm not working with my friends then," he said quietly, almost shyly.

Well, how could she refuse him after that explanation?

Marinette smiled kindly, pushing away her very panicked emotions for the moment. It was sort of a new experience for Adrien, and she was determined to make him experience as much normalcy as he wanted.

Taking a deep breath, she summoned a bit of her Ladybug courage.

"Well, then, s-shall we?"

Adrien's bright smile made her temporarily forget the butterflies fluttering in the pit of her belly.

"And...action," he said softly before he got in character. "We need to get you out of here, Agent Smith. It's too dangerous; you could get hurt."

"I'm not scared of that monster, Officer Jones," she said, far more confidently than she did during the actual rehearsal.

She nibbled on her bottom lip for a moment before she stepped forward, tilting her chin up as he leaned down. Her hands gently placed themselves on his chest, her eyes fluttering shut.

When their lips just barely brushed against each other, they stopped, as if someone - namely Chloe - was going to burst in and interrupt them again, but nothing of the kind happened, and Marinette leaned forward to press her mouth against his.

She gasped when his hands gripped her hands a little tighter, a subconscious action most likely, but it didn't hurt.

Sparks. There were definitely sparks.

It was so unbearably cliche that not even Marinette, a hopeless romantic, believed kisses could have that sort of effect on someone, but she was so very wrong.

It had just been a gentle brush of their lips, so how did it instantly change into them devouring each other, drinking each other in like a dying man in the desert drank water?

How did Marinette end up sitting on the desk, legs wrapped around his waist as he rocked his hips against hers?

How could she explain the hand skimming the back of skin under her shirt, stopping short just under the clasp of her bra?  
The hand bunching the material of his shirt to pull him closer, closer to her?

The soft gasps that left her lips when his ghosted over the nape of her neck?

The ribbons falling to the floor as he let his fingers comb through her now loose raven hair?

If it wasn't the fact that they relied on oxygen to breathe, she was sure they would have stayed like that for the rest of the day. Possibly forever.

Panting, Adrien pulled away from her, his cheeks flushed, and his eyes darkened with desire as he looked her up and down, looking uncharacteristically smug as he took in her disheveled appearance. He had done that, and she doubted either of them would forget anytime soon.

Marinette's hands shook as she removed them from his person; likewise, his hands slowly left the warmth of her back, though his fingers did graze longingly over her hips, making her shiver.

"And...scene," he murmured.

"Scene…" She agreed, closing her eyes.

It was a scene. Just a scene.

 **OoOoO**

There were also extended, deleted scenes.

Like when Marinette wore that Chat Noir sweater with knee socks to school, and Adrien had pulled her into the nearest storage closet, pressing her body against the door and capturing her lips before she could fully comprehend what he was doing.

They didn't talk about what they did or how it affected their friendship. In fact, there was little talking at all when they were like this.

Marinette was panting in his ear as he slid his hands up her thighs, over those damn socks, and stroked the flesh under her ass, which was unfortunately covered by her shorts. His face was buried in the crook of her neck as he placed soft kisses on the areas he could reach.

"A-Adrien…"

By god, if his name spilling from her lips in that breathless whisper wasn't the most erotic thing he had ever experienced, he didn't know what was.

"Quiet, Princess," he purred, making her shiver as she felt the vibrations from his mouth. "We wouldn't want anyone to catch us, would we?"

Neither of them registered the nickname as Marinette suddenly moaned at the thought of being caught in this position; it would be disastrous, for sure, but the idea of someone catching them so flustered and enamored with each other certainly did something to her.

Adrien couldn't get enough of her and he took the chance to place his hands over her bottom, making her gasp as he lifted her up, still pressing her back against the door. Her legs - such nice, nice legs - wrapped around his waist and her nails dug into his shoulders as he crashed his mouth against hers.

She was rocking her hips against him and he groaned, pressing himself harder against her. She was going to be the death of him, and he her.

However, all things had to come to an end and it was the screams outside the closet that forced them to pull apart. An akuma, they could tell, from the crashing and shouting; the demand for Ladybug and Chat Noir was a pretty big hint too.

Marinette struggled to catch her breath even as she absently continued to rock against him.

"We should...go," she managed to say. "Out of danger."

Adrien was on the verge of suggesting they stay in that closet and ignore the danger - what were the chances of them getting hurt in there anyways - when he felt her shiver from the coolness of his ring that brushed against her skin. Right, right, his ring.

He was a superhero; a superhero in demand, and his Lady was most likely waiting for him.

Sighing, Adrien nuzzled his face against her shoulder for a few seconds before he pulled away, gently placing his classmate back on the floor.

Hawkmoth had shitty timing.

 **OoOoO**

They weren't sure if they were dating or not - no one but them knew of their secret rendezvousing - but both Adrien and Marinette figured what they had was something close to that.

Why else would Sabine and Tom so easily greet the boy as he followed their daughter up to her bedroom after school? And have snacks ready for them?

He was over at their house almost every day, and if he didn't have so many appointments, he'd be there every single second he could.

"Did I mention I love your parents?" He asked, sighing in content as he broke off a piece of a croissant and tossed the buttery treat into his mouth.

Marinette looked up from her sketchbook, smiling at how relaxed he looked from her perspective on the chaise.

"Only every time you come here; they love you too, you know," she said. "Can't blame them either. You're quite the catch, handsome boy."

Adrien flushed at her words and she smirked.

That was a benefit of their little arrangement; not only did she get to continuously make out with the love of her life, but she managed to be his friend too. A friend she didn't stutter around anymore, and a friend who could make him as flustered as he made her.

("That's called a fucking relationship," she could practically hear Alya screaming at her.)

"You're not bad yourself, Princess," said Adrien after a pause, grinning at her as he gave her a look that she knew by heart.

Marinette rolled her eyes and tucked her sketchbook under her chaise before she curled her finger at him.

In a flash, Adrien was hovering over her and she laughed as she leaned back against the cushion, his lips ghosting over hers.

"Your eyes are so blue," he whispered. "So beautiful."

Marinette hummed as her fingers ran through his golden hair, giggling at the soft purr that came from him as a result.

"What a silly kitty," she said, leaning up and capturing his lips.

Before they could get into it, Adrien's phone rang and they both groaned. He reached into his back pocket and glanced at the caller ID.

"It's Nathalie," he said apologetically as he pulled away. "I'll be back in five."

He got off of her, albeit reluctantly, and Marinette sighed as she sat up, watching him go downstairs to answer the call.

"In five, you'll have to go," she said, getting off the chaise and straightening her clothes.

Looking at his books sprawled out on her rug, she decided she might as well help pack up his things.

Bending down, Marinette carefully picked up each of his notebooks and pens, gathering them up in her arms before she went over to her computer.

Setting the books on the desk, she opened up Adrien's bag.

She blinked.

A pair of luminescent green eyes blinked back.

Marinette from two months ago would have screamed and might have strangled the little cat creature staring at her, denying whatever implications that came with this discovery.

Marinette at that moment merely bit the inside of her cheek and wondered how she didn't see it before.

She reached into the bag and gently picked up the kwami, who was trying his best to act like a stuffed toy; at least it would have made sense if he meowed, unlike when Tikki did it nearly two and a half years ago.

"So…" Marinette smiled. "You're Chat's kwami. You're much cuter than he described you as being."

The kwami in question regarded her for a few seconds before he guffawed.

"Oh, man; Fuu can really pick 'em. Got any cheese, Ladybug?"

Marinette gave him an odd look but didn't comment as she turned around, just as Adrien's head popped through her trap door.

Green met blue; he took in the sight of his kwami sitting comfortably in his girlfriend's (?) palm.

And then he panicked, scrambling to get his full body in the room as he struggled to find a reasonable explanation.

Marinette laughed.

"Calm down, chaton. The secret was bound to come out sooner or later, right?"

 **OoOoO**

"Say, Mari," said Adrien, staring up at the ceiling of his girlfriend's room as she snuggled up against his chest. Plagg and Tikki were curled up nearby in the little makeshift bed Marinette had made for them a few weeks back.

She let out a sleepy, "what" and blinked up at him.

The model smiled softly as he ran a hand through her hair.

"I love you."

Marinette smiled and leaned up to kiss him, softly and lovingly whispering her own "I love you" into his ear.

He got high off of her kisses, and they were the greatest drug he had ever been introduced to, but her very presence was enough to soothe him and leave him permanently content.

She was his other half, and no drug in the world - not even catnip - could compete with that.


	2. II: School Field Trip

"Dude, I still can't believe your dad let you go on this trip," said Nino. "How'd you do it?"

He slapped his best friend on the back and Adrien laughed.

"I don't know; maybe Ladybug's luck rubbed off on me," he said, rubbing the corner of his eye.

"Well, no matter what greater power let you come here, we're glad," said Alya, elbowing the model playfully before she boarded the bus. "Right, Marinette?"

The raven-haired girl flushed as she plopped down in her seat, though the effect was ruined with the yawn that she produced.

"Y-Yeah," she said, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "Sorry, I didn't get much sleep last night."

Seriously, did Hawkmoth _sleep_? That akuma - the one that had so rudely woken her up at three am with its screeching and wails - had taken up a good hour and a half of Chat Noir and Ladybug's much needed sleeping time.

"What could have possibly kept you up?" Alya said. "I _know_ it couldn't have been the akuma this morning because you would have called me to make sure I was up, which I _wasn't_ , so what's up?"

Marinette opened her mouth to reply but she could only come up with another yawn, and her best friend sighed.

A glance over at Nino told her that he was having just as much luck with Adrien. Seriously, what did these two even do to be so tired all the time?

Well, Alya figured it was Adrien's busy schedule that kept him exhausted. And maybe Marinette had been up late working on a design.

Suddenly, Alya was struck with a brilliant idea and she nudged the boy that _wasn't_ on the verge of sleeping while standing up. Nino gave her a curious look when she nodded meaningfully at their two best friends; after a few pointed stares, he got the hint and grinned.

"Come on, buddy, you need the sleep," said Nino, guiding his friend into the empty seat besides Marinette. "You can sleep on the bus ride."

Adrien merely sighed as he snuggled into the seat; his cat-like tendencies always had him seeking out the closest source of heat nearby so it was no surprise that he moved closer to Marinette, nearly burying his face in her shoulder.

Fortunately - or maybe unfortunately, depending on whose point of view one was looking at - Marinette didn't acknowledge her crush snuggling into her as she had already been carried off to the dreamland by the sandman.

Nino and Alya exchanged wicked grins before she held up her phone and snapped a picture.

 **OoOoO**

Marinette yawned as she slowly came to.

She had been in the middle of a dream, one where she and Chat had picked off the kiss she had given him during the battle against Le Dislocoeur. Why she had the dream, she wasn't sure, but at least she got to sleep long enough to have _time_ for dreams. Even if the dream included an empty alley with her pressed against the wall.

The real question was, why was Alya's perfume different than the one she had been wearing earlier?

Rubbing her eyes, Marinette shifted her head and looked down, only to halt once she saw that the person she had been leaning on was certainly not her best friend but in fact the boy she had been in love with since his second day of school.

What was worse (arguably better) was that she _couldn't_ move, not when his head was resting on top of her shoulder and he was very near clinging to her deadweight arm.

Marinette gave a panicked look to their surroundings and found their two best friends chatting each other up in the seats in front of them.

Traitors.

Heart jumping around wildly in her ribcage like Manon on a sugar rush, Marinette considered her options.

Option I: She could let Adrien continue to sleep on her shoulder and she could die from cardiac arrest.

Pro: She could revel in having her crush snuggling against her so adorably for the next how-many-hours.

Con: Aside from dying from heart issues, Adrien was going to wake up and sue her for sexual harassment while he was sleeping and she was going to go to jail and possibly die and Paris was going to go to hell because Ladybug couldn't save the day and Chat Noir was going to wonder where she was and do something idiotic to prove she was okay and she would never know because she was going to be too busy rotting away in a cell.

Option II: She could wake up Adrien and only suffer mild mortification.

Pro: Adrien would let her off easy and would only request that she move to another country.

Con: Adrien would lose the sleep he clearly deserved with his busy schedule.

Well, it didn't take a genius to figure out which option she would go with. She would rather go through a thousand deaths than deprive Adrien of his much-needed sleep; he always showed up to class tired - he covered it up well with tea and makeup, but she really did notice everything about him - and she wasn't blind to the little cat naps he would take at times.

Satisfied with her decision, Marinette smiled shyly and snuggled further into her seat. Adrien let out a sleepy whine as he followed her down, burying his face further into her shoulder.

Any other time, her face might have blown up with a redness that outmatched Ladybug's suit, but at the moment, all she cared about was the model getting his sleep.

And if she happened to get a few more hours of shuteye as well, there was no harm done.

 **OoOoO**

When Adrien was very young and his family was still a family, he used to go and sit by the fire regardless of the weather.

His mother would make hot chocolate, all loaded up with whipped cream and sprinkles of cinnamon on top. His father would pull him onto his lap and lazily cuddle him as they wanted for her to come back from the kitchen.

Then they'd sit by the fire and just enjoy each other's company, talk about their days. Adrien never had much to say but his parents always talked to him about what he played that day or what he wanted to do tomorrow.

He would get so excited and forget his hot chocolate was still, well, hot, and he'd try to take a sip from his mug, only to jerk away in surprise and get whipped cream all over his face.

His father would click his tongue at the mess and try to wipe it off, but his mother would always laugh and try to get a picture. Adrien would pout and the small toddler would curl into his mother's lap, trying to avoid the picture.

She always smelled like cinnamon, and that was what comforted the little boy enough to lull him to sleep. He'd wake up in between his parents in their big bed, and he never felt as at home as he did when he woke up to the cinnamon scent of his mother and the light snoring from his father.

Perhaps that was why, despite the high-quality mattress and comforters, Adrien found it difficult to sleep alone these days. Only Plagg's purring on his cheek would comfort him some nights.

So when he woke to the smell of cinnamon and the feeling of light vibrations from someone's snoring, he was confused and surprise Confused because he hadn't experienced either in so long, and surprised because he quickly realized the familiar sensations weren't from his parents at all.

He certainly was snuggled against someone warm and kind, like his mother though.

A part of him felt guilty and embarrassed for the position he was in with his classmate, especially since he didn't remember even falling asleep on her in the first place, but a majority of him felt far too content and satisfied.

For the first time in weeks, Adrien felt fully-rested and the shy smile Marinette sleepily sent his way once she noticed he was awake, was enough to wake him up even more.

"Hi," she murmured, long lashes already fluttering as if she were fall asleep again.

Adrien slowly smiled as he lifted his head so it was hers that settled on his shoulder, her face buried in the crook of his neck, the opposite of what they had been doing before.

"Hi," he said. For a moment, he didn't know what to say. There was too much and not enough.

"Thank you," he finally settled on.

Marinette hummed and the vibrations on his skin was like a jolt of electricity running down his spine.

From the way her breathing evened, he knew she had fallen asleep again, and he smiled, secretly glad that she felt comfortable enough to sleep with him.

Well.

Not _sleep_ with him, of course.

Not that he had anything against Marinette; she was sweet and kind and brave and incredibly cute, especially when she was nervous or excited and she did that dance that made her butt wiggle and it was really noticeable especially since her jeans were just tight enough and-

Adrien felt his face burning as he put a stop to that train of thought immediately.

Marinette was his friend (he hoped) and it was highly appropriate to have such thoughts about his friend, no matter how attractive she was.

 _The point was_ that he was glad Marinette trusted him enough to fall asleep in such a position, and he trusted her enough to close his eyes and rest his cheek on top of her head, ready to fall asleep again. He had no doubt that if they weren't seated awkwardly, he would have been spooning her because she was so warm and soft and _she smelled so nice_.

Maybe one day. 

(And maybe when Alya and Nino weren't continuously waking them up with the shuttering sounds from their camera phones.)


	3. III: Day in the Park

"Spaghetti, spaghetti! Think of your favorite meal! Come, come!"

The photographer sighed as he lowered the camera and examined the dozen photos he had taken.

"No, no, no. Not good. Take a break; we'll skip to the next shoot."

The model Adrien had been working with stepped back from him and gave him an apologetic smile.

"Sorry," she said. "The couple shoots always take forever."

Adrien let out a long sigh as he glanced at the time. He would have run a hand through his hair but he knew he would have been scolded for messing it up.

"It's fine," he said even though it really wasn't fine.

The model rubbed his shoulder, giving him another smile before she turned and went to go have her makeup redone for the next set of photos.

It wasn't that Adrien hated modeling. No, he didn't love it but he didn't mind it either. The photoshoots and tight scheduling made his life difficult at times however.

For example, he had made plans to go hang out with Marinette later, and it was already past the time they had agreed to meet. He knew she would understand and that she would probably just rub his shoulder and tell him it was alright, but he also knew her eyes would be filled with sadness; no, not because he was always flaking out on her, but because she knew he felt terrible about it.

And he did; he never wanted to miss a moment with his princess, his Lady. She might not have felt the same way he did, but they were still best friends.

Truth be told, Adrien shouldn't have been as surprised as he was when their transformations melted away and left behind two stunned teenagers. He should have noticed her a lot sooner. He wanted to know every side of her, wanted to see her smile and laugh, wanted to see her jump around and gush about her passions and dreams to him.

He had known from that second if not first day they met that he was completely infatuated with Ladybug. The second her mask disappeared, he knew he was in love with Marinette. She was just so wonderful, and he wanted her to smile and laugh every day.

So to know that he was causing that sadness in her eyes, left a large bruise on his heart.

It was right next to the bruise formed by the knowledge that his love was unrecruited.

Marinette had always been awkward and nervous around him, as Adrien. After the masks came off, she became friendlier and more out-spoken, and the more of her she showed to him, the more he fell in love with her. He was so glad the person he considered his first friend finally felt comfortable around him.

But he knew it was a bittersweet win; she warmed up to Adrien, but she had always rejected Chat's advances and seem unfazed when the flirting stopped after their reveal. Was he cursed? Cursed to fall in love twice with this wonderful, amazing woman, only to be rejected twice as well?

There was suddenly someone by his side clearing their throat, causing him to shake out of his thoughts and look up at Nathalie.

"Your…" She hesitated. "Fans have grown."

With that, she walked away from, already tapping at her tablet.

Confused, Adrien looked to the crowd of admirers who watched the model from afar. There were often small groups that came to watch him during public photo shoots like this one, but the one that was in the park at the time was nowhere near the large sizes he had seen before.

What could Nathalie mean that his fans had grown? What was she trying to - oh.

It was then that Adrien spotted her; there, near the back of the crowd, stood Marinette with a picnic basket in her hands. She gave him an understanding smile once he met her gaze, and his heart skipped a beat. She really had no idea what she did to him.

Without him realizing it, his feet began to move on their accord.

The group of girls there began to titter excitedly as they noticed him coming over, but they were surprised when he moved past them to head straight to Marinette, who was giving him an amused look.

"What are you doing?" She asked, her words just loud enough for him to hear her.

Were there flower petals dancing around her? Was the sun shining directly on her? God, it was like looking up and seeing an angel standing over his pathetic mortal body.

Adrien smiled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Sorry for being late," he said before he looked over his shoulder. "It's taking longer than I thought it would."

Marinette gave him a kind of smile that made his legs feel like jelly. God, did he love this woman.

She held up the basket.

"Well, we can still have our picnic da- _lunch_ , can't we?" She looked over at the set. "We can sneak in a few snacks. Maman packed you those croissants you like so much too."

If Marinette's smile made him feel like she was the cure to his disease, then Adrien's smile made her feel like she was being resurrected by the embodiment of sunshine.

"That sounds great, Mari," said Adrien, holding out his arm. "Care to join me for a picnic then, Princess?"

She scrunched up her nose at him, but looped her arm through his anyways. Together, they ignored the stunned girls and made their way to the set.

Seeing Jean - the photographer - still going through the photos, the two heroes settled on grass.

"Oh! Wait, I have a blanket; we don't want to get grass stains on your clothes, do we?" Marinette smiled knowingly as she pulled out the blanket from the basket, spreading it flat on the ground before she put her hands on her hips. "There! Oh, and for the food…"

She pulled out a croissant for Adrien, who gleefully took it before he laid back on the blanket. His partner looked surprised at how content he looked but her features softened as she laid down next to him.

"It's nice out," said Marinette, glancing up at the sky. "Perfect for a photo shoot. Beautiful weather means perfect lighting for the clothes too."

Adrien hummed non committedly as he turned his head to her, only to lose the ability to breathe.

His Lady was beautiful. Utterly beautiful. And with the way the sun shone down on her and the sky seemed to clear whenever she smiled, whatever higher powers there were agreed with him.

When she turned her head and fluttered her dark lashes, bluebell eyes regarding him with a joy that made his heart flutter, he couldn't help the words that seemed so natural to him.

" _Je t'aime_ , Marinette."

Immediately, he realized what he had said and he had the overwhelming urge to slam his head against a wall as he watched her eyes grow wide and her lips - so pretty and pink and kissable ( _stop that, Adrien!_ ) - part in surprise.

His cheeks flooded with color and, shutting his eyes, he sputtered, "I-I mean…!"

"You-You mean it?"

Adrien slowly opened his eyes, if only because of how hopeful she sounded. When he looked at her, he saw her eyes bright and a dark blush taking over her pale cheeks.

"I-I do," he whispered, as if he spoke any louder he would scare her away. "I love you, Marinette."

His heart jumped to his throat when she sat upright suddenly and he feared he had lost his best friend and that she would run away, but those thoughts disintegrated the moment she threw herself over him, her soft hands caressing his cheeks.

" _Je t'aime_ , Adrien," she said before she pressed her lips against his.

He gasped, clutching her shoulder, pulling her closer to him even as he leaned up, essentially using his elbow to help him sit up. As he did, Marinette fell in between his legs, still cupping his cheeks.

Her smile made him feel like he was looking at sunshine, but her kiss made him feel like he was struck by lightning. Electricity jolted through him as he gripped her waist, the pads of his fingers brushing under her shirt to feel her cool skin and making her shiver.

It was both a second and an eternity when they separated, though they didn't go far as she rested her forehead against his.

Neither said anything, simply smiling and reveling in each other's presence.

Finally though, the silence was broken.

"I see you've finally buttered up to me, my Lady," said Adrien, grinning stupidly as he held up the slightly squished croissant between them.

Her eyes narrowed and she scoffed as she pressed her palm against his face, pushing him away as he laughed.

"No, Mari, come back," he exclaimed, tugging on her waist and pulling her back down. She pretended to be annoyed by him, but her laughs ruined the facade.

Later, Gabriel insisted Marinette accompany Adrien to all of his photo shoots once the photos Jean had taken skyrocketed. Adrien agreed, if only to spend time with his girlfriend more.

In the end, Adrien discovered he liked modeling after all, if it meant he could be with Marinette in those moments.


	4. IV: Stuck in an ElevatorCupboard

When Marinette was fifteen, she won Gabriel Agreste's competition with her pigeon-inspired bowler hat, which really should have been a sign about her near future.

By the time she was sixteen, she had won seven more competitions.

When she was seventeen and about to graduate, she received a summer internship at the designer's company.

By nineteen, she balanced getting her degrees in business and fashion, and her paid internship.

At twenty-four, she was a brilliant designer that was easily the youngest and most well-known at Agreste Inc. She and Gabriel were practically partners at that point.

So it was no surprise that she had gotten an invitation to the most extravagant ball in Paris, held by both the mayor and by Gabriel Agreste.

The young woman smiled at her reflection on the elevator's silver doors, a satisfied look in her eyes as she looked over her dress, something she was surprised she had time to design and create with her busy schedule.

It was a strapless, azure-colored dress that came down to her knees and hugged her figure just right without making her seem neither like a prude nor an escort. Around her waist was a black ribbon, and over the skirt of her dress was a black veil adorned with flowers.

She had worn black heels, and chose not to wear any jewelry except for her usual earrings. Her hair was down - now long enough to reach the center of her back - in ringlets.

Overall, she looked fantastic and she was proud of herself for not looking like she had gone two weeks with three to four hours of sleep per night.

Marinette was brought out of her reverie by the chime of the elevator door opening at last, allowing her to step in.

She was about to push the button to close the doors when someone slammed their hand onto the door, making her yelp in surprise.

Adrien gave her an apologetic look as he stepped through the doors, looking slightly out of breath.

"Sorry, Marinette," he said, sweeping a hand through his hair. "Wow, would not have wanted to be late to my dad's own ball…"

Marinette hummed, giving him a smile that she hoped cover up for the fact that her heart was doing a 5K run in her ribcage.

Adrien Agreste had been quite a catch when they were teenagers, enough to make certain people unable to speak properly in front of them even with his kind eyes and gentle nature.

At twenty-four, he was _the_ catch, the typical drop-dead gorgeous, if-this-was-a-cartoon-people-would-suffer-nosebleeds-just-by-looking-at-him, man. He was no boy, that was for sure.

That little tidbit was especially notable when Marinette considered his current attire. Sure, it was formal black pants and leather shoes with a silk black button-up, but he just looked so damn good in black that she was just grateful it wasn't leather or else she might have suffered from cardiac arrest.

Alright, fifteen-year-old Marinette would have had a heart attack but twenty-four-year-old Marinette would have taken care of her...issues in another way.

Noticing the model was looking at her oddly, she realized he had asked her a question while she had been distracted.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

Adrien gave her a smile that made her heart flutter; god damn, this man was going to be the death of her.

"I asked, how have you been?" He tilted his head to the side. "We don't talk a lot at work."

"Well, we work in two different departments, and you're not my model," said Marinette, clutching her handbag. "But you're right; we don't talk a lot."

"We should change that."

He was _literally_ going to be the death of her because her heart just stopped. No, she was not fifteen but she would be damned if this man still didn't have a large amount of influence over her.

At least she didn't stutter in front of him anymore.

"Y-Yeah, that would be great! I-It's normal for friends, r-right?"

Well, alright at least she didn't stutter _as_ much.

Adrien's smile grew. "Great," he said before he began to look her up and down, making her feel a bit self-conscious as she felt her cheeks fill with heat. "You look great; sorry, should have said that earlier."

Marinette couldn't help but return the gesture, though she obviously didn't receive any indication of him being flustered as she had; he was used to people staring to him, and probably had far more attractive peers eyeing him.

"It's fine, though I'm sure I've got nothing on a literal supermodel," she said, using her hand to gesture at his attire. "Honestly, you could show up as a homeless person and you'd still look better than me."

"That's not true," protested Adrien. "Besides, my dad would skin me alive if I ever did something like that."

Marinette leaned against the pne glass wall of the elevator, peering down at their home city below them.

"Possibly, but I'm sure you'd figure out a way to make it fashionable," she said. "You always look good."

Suddenly, the elevator jolted to a stop and Marinette lost her balance, toppling straight into Adrien's chest. He gripped her upper arms as she attempted to regain her balance.

"S-Sorry," she murmured, looking out at the city. "Did the elevator break down? Why did it-?"

"Not sure," said Adrien, helping her keep steady. "It's not an old building, but I wouldn't know how long it's been since the elevator's been checked."

"Well, that's just great," said Marinette as she pulled out of Adrien's arms. It was definitely as difficult as she imagined it to be. And she had imagined being in his arms _plenty_ of times.

"Good thing there's such a thing about being fashionably late," said Adrien, trying to make light of the situation. "Although _pere_ will be more lenient towards you than me. You're his favorite."

"Stop that." Marinette gave him a hard look. It was no secret that Gabriel Agreste was particularly hard on his son - when he wasn't being indifferent - but Adrien sounded as if the man didn't care for him at all. "No matter how he runs his business, you're his son and the two shouldn't interfere."

"He treats me like his employee, not his son, Marinette," argued Adrien, though his words weren't harsh, just tired. "It's been that way since the two of us were teenagers; me being an adult doesn't change that."

Marinette frowned.

"But it shouldn't be like that."

"No." Adrien looked resigned. "No, it shouldn't."

Marinette knew it wasn't her business to say more than that, so she simply reached out and squeezed Adrien's hand in what she hoped was a comforting manner.

In return, he gave her a small smile as blue met green.

Their moment was ruined when the elevator shook again and this time, Marinette collided into Adrien hard enough to knock them both down.

She barely had time to register the fact that she was _sitting between Adrien Agreste's legs_ as the two of them looked out the glass wall to see a figure flying through the sky. Well, flying was a bit of a stretch once they saw the figure fall back to the ground, making the city shake again, before lifting into the sky.

An akuma - super jumper too. Fun.

Adrien's hands slid down to her waist, making sure she didn't topple over as the ground continued to shake, and he turned to meet her eyes with a frown on his face.

"We need to get out of here," he said. "It's not safe for us to be up here while the akuma is causing earthquakes like that."

"Well, we could always try to open the elevator doors," suggested Marinette, glancing between said doors and the glass wall. "Hopefully Chat Noir will show up soon and distract the akuma long enough for us to get out."

"There's always Ladybug," said Adrien, looking back out at the akuma.

Marinette hummed, doing her best not to show her doubt. She just prayed that her partner would show up on the scene quickly before the akuma could do any serious damage.

Little did she know that the man across from her was hoping for the same thing.

 **OoOoO**

 _"Alya here on the scene with the latest victim of Paris, the akuma known as Tectonic! His aim seems to be to shake the ground and bring our beloved city into ruins!"_

 _The phone shook as Tectonic crashed onto the ground again._

 _"Whoa, things are pretty rough out here and still no sign of Ladybug or Chat Noir! Cross your fingers, Ladybloggers, and hope our beloved heroes show up soon to save the day once more! Until then, Alya here will be live-streaming all of the action!"_

 **OoOoO**

Marinette shook her head as the video ended and she slipped her phone back into purse, careful to keep Tikki out of Adrien's view.

She couldn't stand this. Normally, she would have loved to be stuck in a small area with Adrien Agreste, aka the focus of most - if not _all_ \- of her fantasies since she was a teenager, but not when an akuma was rampaging through the city and her partner was missing for whatever reason. She just hoped Chat Noir didn't get caught up in the attacks or was trapped somewhere in his civilian form like her.

The two of them were still entangled together, despite their efforts to separate; every time they tried, Tectonic would strike again and cause one of them to topple into the other. They gave up on trying to fight it, so Marinette made herself comfortable on Adrien's lap. It wasn't that hard.

The raven-haired heroine sighed heavily as she leaned back against the model, who had the absolute misfortune of being stuck in this situation with her.

"It's strange how Ladybug hasn't shown up yet," said Adrien. "I hope she's alright."

Marinette hummed. "I'm sure she's fine," she said absently. "I just hope Chat Noir shows up soon."

"Why?" Adrien sounded tired. "He can't do anything without Ladybug."

"That's not true." Marinette frowned and tilted her head to look up at him. "He's a hero just like her; they're a team, and it's annoying when people say Chat is nothing but a sidekick."

"You sound like you're a fan," said Adrien. His tiredness was still evident, but there was also a faint amount of amusement laced in his words, though she wasn't sure why. "You have a crush on him?"

Marinette puffed out her cheeks, crossing her arms as she turned forward again.

"No," she said indignantly. "Yes. _Maybe_."

"That's a definite answer."

She sighed, loosening her arms and relaxing against his back. "Well, I did have a small crush on him in collège, but…" She laughed airily. "I decided to ignore it."

"Oh?" Adrien didn't seem to mind that she was practically lounging against him at this point; in fact, he had draped his arm over her stomach to make himself more comfortable as well. They both ignored the fact that they were practically cuddling now and that they were far more comfortable with each other than co-workers should have been. "Why?"

"I liked someone else, and I was in denial that I could like Chat too. Plus, he was and is pretty fixated on Ladybug. There's also the fact that I didn't want to 'betray' the boy I like."

Adrien gave her a questioning hum.

"I don't remember you dating anyone in collège though...did it not work out?"

Marinette was silent for a few seconds.

"I never told him," she said finally. "I figured there was no way he'd like someone like me. I was scared of being rejected," she admitted.

Adrien straightened and she whined at the movement.

"What? He'd have to be crazy not to have liked you, Marinette. You were - _are_ \- cute and sweet and you always looked out for others. Who'd be so blind as to not see that?"

Marinette shrugged.

"Well, it doesn't matter; I don't have a crush on him anymore - or on Chat Noir."

True, but also false; her feelings for both were _far_ beyond a simple crush.

For whatever reason, he seemed to deflate at that.

"Oh." He paused. "So who was this lucky guy?"

Fifteen-year-old Marinette would have butchered up some crazy lie and jumped through the glass window of the elevator to avoid humiliating herself more. Then again, that Marinette became a flustered mess just by having Adrien brush his hands against hers (the main example was the pigeon hat).

Twenty-four-year-old Marinette was cuddling against Adrien, who practically had his arms around her, like it was an everyday occurrence; confessing an old crush - that wasn't so old, really - was nothing. She could at least brush it off; she had already said she didn't _like_ him anymore.

She smiled, though it was neither joyous nor bitter as she finally answered him.

"You, Adrien."

She could feel every inch of him fill with tension and he swallowed, awkwardly flexing his fingers.

"O-Oh…" He seemed to be fumbling over his words. "I'm sorry, Marinette."

The designer hummed. "Don't worry about it, Adrien. It's been almost ten years." She let out a puff of laughter. "Besides, like I said; I was sure you didn't feel the same way."

 _He probably still didn't and wouldn't._

Marinette pushed that thought out of her head. It didn't help being negative, and she had long accepted the possibility of her feelings being unrequited. She was ready to move on from that subject.

Adrien seemed to have other plans, from the way he shifted awkwardly beneath her. Unfortunately, he didn't get a word out as Tectonic slammed his body against the ground again.

The akuma was closer to the building than before, and the impact made the glass wall shatter.

Adrien threw his arm over Marinette's face even as she turned away to avoid being struck with the sharp glass. They barely had time to recover before the ground shook again, concaving the earth and making the two of them nearly slide out of the shambled elevator.

"Shit," said Marinette as he muttered, "Fuck".

He slammed his feet against one side of the elevator and used his height to his advantage as he pressed his back against the opposite. One arm was still around Marinette's waist to prevent her from falling to her doom, and they used whatever free hands they had to slam their palms against the floor.

After a few seconds passed and there was no second impact, they let out a sigh of relief though did not relax their positions.

"You okay?" Adrien asked.

Marinette closed her eyes, glad she had thought to bring a handbag and not a clutch, otherwise her purse - and more importantly, Tikki - would have been done for. Still, the god in her little purse dangling by the strap from her wrist was not something she wanted to lose.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she said, daring to look down. She immediately regretted it; she loved the heights she could reach as Ladybug, but they were a bit terrifying when she wasn't wearing the mask. "What about you?"

"Been better," said Adrien, breathing hard down her neck. It made her shiver, but it was hardly the time to think about that. "We really need to get out of here."

He was right; if Tectonic struck again, it wouldn't have mattered if she transformed or not, they'd be done for. And who knew how many others were in the same, if not a worse, position than they were?

Sighing, Marinette decided she would rather give up her identity than let hundreds of civilians get hurt or worse. Besides, she trusted Adrien to keep her secret.

Before she could say anything though, he tightened his grip on her and sighed in her ear.

"My Lady might kill me, but I can't let this go on; I'm sorry, Marinette." She was confused until she heard him say, "Plagg, claws out!"

Suddenly the young designer was pressed against cool leather and she couldn't help but yelp when Chat Noir leaped down the from the elevator, holding her in one arm while his free hand maneuvered his baton and he carried them from the unstable area.

Eyes wide, she couldn't speak even when Chat landed on the roof of a building a few block away.

He seemed apologetic as he looked at her, but she could tell he didn't want to stay to talk, there being an akuma and all.

"Sorry, Marinette," he repeated. "I'll talk to you when this is over, alright?"

Chat turned to leave and she blurted out, "Wait!"

Surprised, he did as she commanded. She sighed deeply.

"I wanted to tell you eventually, just so you know. I mean - both of you, both of this...I wanted to tell you who I was and how I felt, but I never thought it was the right time and I just…" God, she was babbling and he looked a little impatient, not that she could blame him. "Ugh, I can't believe I fell in love with you twice, you stupid cat!"

Chat blinked, taken aback. "But you-"

Now tired with everything, Marinette flicked her wrist and called out, "Tikki, spots on!"

Ladybug stood before him and she seemed even more resigned than usual as she ignored his jaw-slackened expression.

"Look, I know you don't feel the same so save our breath; let's just take care of the akuma before he does any more damage, okay?"

The heroine pulled out her yoyo and swung away, not giving him a chance to reply. She wasn't ready to face that heartbreak.

 **OoOoO**

" _Bien joue!_ "

Ladybug and Chat grinned at one another as their city was restored to its former glory, undoing everything Tectonic had done.

Their joy was shared by the citizens, though Ladybug cut the celebrations short, using her Miraculous as an excuse to slip from the crowd. Without looking back, she knew Chat Noir was following her.

Landing on the top of a building near her work - also known as the building that would forever haunt her and be the reason she is never riding in an elevator with glass again - the magic slipped away and Marinette sighed as she fell back on some empty crates.

"What is it, Chat?" She said, reaching into her purse and giving her kwami a cookie. Tikki nibbled on it appreciatively, staying silent to let her charge and her partner talk.

The black-clad superhero opened and closed his mouth before he groaned, dragging his hand down his face. As he did so, his ring beeped and his transformation came undone. For once, Plagg was quiet as he stole the camembert from his charge's pocket before going to join his other half.

"You were Ladybug this whole time?" Adrien finally said, keeping his head tilted to the sky and his hand over his eyes. "You, Marinette?"

A little stung by his words, she nodded before she realized he couldn't see her.

"Yes, me, Marinette."

Some of her hurt must have been evident in her tone because he groaned and shook his head.

"No, no; that came out wrong, I'm sorry. Shit, this is messed up…!"

Marinette huffed. "Look, I already told you that you can save your breath so don't worry about it, okay? I've been fine the last ten years, so no need to make it awkward between us."

"No!" Adrien ran his hands through his hair and he sighed deeply. "I - can - will you please listen to what I have to say? If you still want to ignore everything, that's - that's fine, but please listen?"

Marinette didn't even consider it; despite it all, he was her partner.

"Alright...I'll listen."

Adrien licked his lips, visibly struggling to figure out where to start. Finally, he clenched his fists and took a deep breath.

"Okay. Okay. The truth is that I was in love with Ladybug for the longest time; still am. But...I was well aware of how quickly I was developing a crush on this other girl, see. It happened so quickly, and it was no wonder; she was brilliant and cute and overall amazing. But I was convinced she hated me."

Marinette cocked an eyebrow.

"She was always avoiding me, hiding her face and jumbling over her words whenever I was near her. I had always considered her my first friend, and it upset me to think I left a bad impression because of a misunderstanding we had. It never even occurred to me that she might have liked me, not hated me."

Marinette felt her cheeks flare; she had no idea that he thought that was the reason she acted the way she did.

"I figured...it was better to continue pursuing Ladybug because this girl - this amazing, amazing girl that was taking over my heart - wouldn't give me a chance. I mean…" Adrien laughed. "Neither would Ladybug, but at least she didn't run from seeing my face. Have to admit that's a first."

"The thing is though...the years went by and the girl disappeared from my daily life for a while, yet my feelings for her didn't. If Ladybug was my moon, Marinette, you were my sun. But I gave up on trying to reach either."

Adrien ran his hands over his face, letting out a laugh that was more hollow than anything.

"Then - and then, I find out that the girl actually liked me...liked _both_ sides of me. And she never told me because she was scared, just like me. I couldn't believe it; I was ten years too late and she moved on. And because my life works like this, I then find out the two girls I'm in love with are one in the same. They loved me, and it was too late because I'm in love with both of them - I'm in love with _her_ , and it's too late."

Marinette blinked, unable to speak as he swallowed and looked at the night sky.

"And then she tells me she still loves me - both of me - and I don't know what I did to convince her I don't feel the same when I do- oh god, do I feel the same - but I am so sorry, Marinette. I wish one of us had made a move."

He looked back at her, and he was startled to see that she was right in front of him now. Her eyes were shining, both from the moonlight and from the tears forming.

"You love me," she whispered. "And I love you." His heart skipped a beat. "Does it really matter what happened back then when we're living in the now, kitty?"

Marinette reached for his hands and he let her take them; of course he did - he would let her do whatever she wanted with him.

She pressed her lips to his fingers and looked up at him through her dark lashes.

"You've finally won my heart, chaton," she said, smiling up at him.

Adrien laughed, and it reminded her of the second day they met, that single moment in the rain.

"I told you I would, my Lady," he said, lifting her hands and cupping her face. He leaned down and his lips ghosted over hers. "Marinette...can I-"

" _Yes_."


	5. V: School Play

It wasn't like Chloe never got what she wanted. Quite the opposite actually.

However, very few people expected her to get the role of Juliet for their class play. She was not one for scripts and details, as seen by her performance in Nino's film a while back, and was focused only on what benefited her, such as getting a kiss from Romeo.

It was no surprise that Adrien was to play Romeo.

The boy in question sighed as Marinette fixed up his costume, earning him a questioning look from the designer.

"What's wrong?" She asked, checking his measurements. She wanted to make sure the final costume would be perfect, after all. "You seemed so excited to be in a play like a 'normal' kid."

"I am," he said. "But I wish Chloe wouldn't make such a big deal out of it."

His partner hummed. "Well, think about this; you only have to play her lover for an hour of rehearsal and then we can go on an early patrol, okay?"

Adrien smiled. "Alright, but only because I can see you some more, Princess."

She shook her head and stepped back. "Alright, alright; you're free to go so go practice your lines some more."

Marinette turned and walked away, his eyes following her as a dopey smile formed on his face. He knew his feelings for her as Ladybug had always been unrequited, but at least she had seemed to relax around him after they finally revealed themselves to each other. Besides, their partnership was stronger than ever as well as their friendship so it didn't hurt so much to know she didn't love him like he her.

Well, it _hurt_ definitely, but he was content being her friend too.

"Adrikins! You ready for rehearsal?" Chloe exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. "I say we practice the kissing scene first - to make sure we get it right, of course."

Adrien slowly put his hands on her wrists and pulled her arms off of him.

"Well, uh, let's work on memorizing our lines before anything, yeah?" He asked.

Chloe beamed at him and dragged him to the corner of the classroom to rehearse. He let her, though his eyes did stray to his partner as she did.

This didn't go unnoticed.

 **OoOoO**

Chloe Bourgeois was not an idiot.

She knew she could be "high maintenance" from time to time, and that her high marks in class were only because of Sabrina, but she was not stupid, especially when it came to people she cared about.

Oh, what? Was it really that big of a deal the socialite had people she didn't despise or belittle?

...

Well, she didn't _despise_ them.

Anyhow, Chloe knew that Marinette Dupain-Cheng had had that silly crush on Adrien for ages. It was both pathetic and amusing to watch her fumble around him, and despite her attempts to humiliate the girl, Chloe never saw her as actual competition for her childhood friend's affections.

But then something changed.

Chloe had no idea what Adrien saw in the bakers' daughter or how deep those feelings were, but she knew she had to squash the _situation_ immediately. Sure, she wanted her friend to be happy and find true love and all that, but he deserved better than _Marinette Dupain-Cheng_.

Who wanted their childhood friend to end up with someone even lamer than Chat Noir? Come on; she was doing him a favor.

And the play was the perfect excuse to show him how great his chemistry was with her. Chloe, that was. Not Marinette.

Although, she admitted it was difficult to do that when his eyes would constantly wander over to the makeshift costume department, where a certain raven-haired girl was.

Scrunching up her nose, the blonde opened her mouth to call back Adrien's attention when there was a loud crash. Chloe sighed as she saw Marinette had accidentally knocked over a few rolls of fabric.

She rolled her eyes, ready to make a snarky remark at the flustered designer, when she stopped short. She spotted Adrien in her peripheral vision and with a start, Chloe realized he was smiling.

And he wasn't smiling out of amusement or cruelty, or because there was a camera flashing nearby; he wasn't showing his usual model smile, the perfect one that hid the loneliness she knew he felt.

Chloe's eyes widened when she realized not only was he genuinely smiling, which was reason enough to stop and stare, but he was smiling out of endearment. He didn't think Marinette's clumsiness was something to laugh at or that it was a flaw; he adored it about her.

Adored _her_.

Chloe swallowed. That wasn't right either.

Suddenly Chloe was a little girl again, peering into her parents' bedroom and watching her father spin his wife around as they danced to some old song, both of them smiling and laughing and looking utterly content. And then her father spotted her and his eyes lit up with an emotion she was too young to comprehend at the time. He pulled her into their dance and she couldn't help but match their smiles, laughing gleefully and remaining oblivious to the small smiles and stares her parents would give each other.

Looking at her childhood friend, Chloe finally knew what to describe the emotion in her father's eyes that night. Not just for her mother, but for her too.

Love.

Adrien was in love with Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

Chloe's eyes slid back over to her rival in all matters, and she saw that Marinette had managed to meet Adrien's eyes. She smiled, her cheeks pink, and Chloe saw the feelings Adrien had reflected in her eyes.

Marinette was in love with Adrien Agreste.

Oh, it was so obvious she had had a crush on him for ages but suddenly this was different. Love was different.

Love made nothing and everything make sense.

Chloe tore her eyes away from the two of them, suddenly feeling like she was intruding. She didn't care about Marinette Dupain-Cheng...but if she, of all people, could make Adrien smile like that...make him look happy...make him look like he did before his mother disappeared and his father shut him out…

Clenching the script in her hands, Chloe stalked out of the room.

 **OoOoO**

"Class, I know this is last minute but there will be some...recasting," said Madame Bustier, earning murmurs from her students. "Nino, you will be playing Mercutio instead of the friar. Ivan, you will be the narrator. Marinette, you are now playing Juliet. And Sabrina, you are now playing Juliet's nurse. That's all. Learn your lines and readjust wardrobe for the performance this weekend."

As soon as she finished speaking, the murmurs grew louder.

"Uh, what does she mean I'm playing Juliet?" Marinette questioned, pointing at herself even as she looked at her classmates to see if she heard right.

She received equally baffled looks and eventually all eyes made their way to Chloe, was pointedly ignoring them by filing her nails. Even Sabrina was surprised by the blonde's reaction; or rather lack of.

After a few moments of silent staring, Chloe looked up with a cocked eyebrow, as if she was surprised they were focused on her.

"What?" She asked, both innocently and sharply. How she managed to do that, no one was sure, but she pulled it off.

"Didn't you want to play Juliet, Chloe?" Sabrina asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

Her best friend scoffed. "You're joking. Do you know how overused this play is? There is no way I'd want to associate myself with such a pathetic play or character like Juliet. The role is _perfect_ for Marinette though. A whiny brat ruining everything."

Marinette scowled at her but Chloe merely smirked, cocking an eyebrow at the baker's daughter.

"Although, I understand if you don't think you can take up the lead role," said Chloe, humming as she returned her attention to her nails. "It's very challenging; far too much for someone like you to handle."

It was no secret that Marinette had a lot of pride, so picking at it and challenging her made Chloe's job that much easier.

Marinette huffed. "Fine. For your sake though, you better not try anything funny."

"Who, me?" Chloe smiled sweetly. "I would never. Now why don't you run along and learn your lines? Or fix that hideous dress you made? You only have a few days after all."

She could feel Sabrina's eyes worriedly focused on her - because Chloe had spent hours explaining why she was perfect for Juliet just the other day - but Chloe watched as Adrien walked with Marinette, discussing her new role.

"Chloe…?" Sabrina stood by her best friend's side. "What was that about?"

The blonde didn't answer, instead continuing to watch the blossoming couple. Adrien was smiling again and he did a little bow that made Marinette laugh, and their cheeks were pink, and they looked _happy_.

Chloe loathed Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She wanted Adrien Agreste.

But when it came to opening night and Adrien pressed his lips against Marinette's, and when they came to school holding hands, Chloe didn't have a single thing to say to them.

Instead, she rested her cheek on her palm, idly glancing at the couple from the corner of her eye. A small smile was on her lips.

 _I guess I can't always get what I want after all._


	6. VI: Being Jealous

"Say cheese!"

Adrien threw his arm around Marinette's shoulders, squishing their cheeks together as he snapped a quick picture of the two of them. Marinette, who had just stuck a spoonful of peanut butter into her mouth, did not appreciate the gesture.

She crinkled her nose at him, but instead of telling him to delete it - and he would if she asked, they both knew - she poked him in the side and smirked when he jumped a little.

Adrien stuck his tongue out at her but soon he was smiling as he looked at the picture. Even when caught off guard, she was beautiful. It just wasn't fair. Maybe she should have been the model, not him.

"You're such a dork," said Marinette. "What was that for?"

"I just wanted a picture with my best friend," said Adrien, looking at her with wide, innocent eyes. "Is that so wrong?"

"Does Nino know he's been replaced?" Marinette retorted.

"Nino doesn't mind, right?" Adrien looked over at the other boy, who merely clutched his chest in mock despair.

"Bro, you're replacing me?" Nino pretended to wipe a tear away. "Not cool, dude. I thought what we had was special."

"Bro, no," said Adrien, reaching towards him. "Bro, I can't replace you. I'm sorry!"

Next to him, Alya rolled her eyes.

"Dorks, both of you; a match made in heaven," she said. "Go. Go and be with your true love, babe."

"But babe, I couldn't leave you," said Nino, grinning as he dropped his act and wrapped his around his girlfriend. "I'd be crazy to."

Alya leaned into his embrace, smiling. "What a good answer."

Marinette and Adrien exchanged amused looks.

Truth be told, they both thought things would be awkward after they peeled away their masks to each other. But they were each relieved when their partner was someone they already knew; it made connecting so much easier. Actually, everything became much easier.

Except for one person's feelings.

Adrien knew he was being selfish for wishing his Lady - his Princess - would feel the same way he did. Marinette had always been so _uncomfortable_ around him, since the second day they met, and now that she was finally opening up to him and showing him who she really was, he didn't want to risk messing it all up by confessing his love.

But it was so _hard_ , being in love with someone you knew only saw you as a friend.

.

Marinette was beautiful.

She seemed to think her clumsiness and stubbornness were flaws that made her ugly. Or perhaps she didn't think herself ugly, only average.

And she was anything but, in Adrien's eyes.

She was so strong and talented; driven and rational; beautiful and radiant. Sure, she was clumsy and stubborn and she could be utterly reckless in battle sometimes, but that didn't make her any less wonderful. She wasn't perfect, but she was perfect for him.

And apparently, others thought the same.

Adrien was used to getting attention on Valentine's Day. It was just a part of being a model - a celebrity really. The previous year proved that. Actually, the previous year brought up a lot of hazy memories he didn't want to think too hard on so he brushed the event from his mind. Shame. He would have remembered the card he _thought_ was from Ladybug.

(Well, technically it _was_ but he didn't know the person who _really_ sent that card was actually Ladybug; or rather, the girl behind the mask.)

 _Anyways_ , the point was Adrien was used to getting attention, especially on holidays like Valentine's Day. What he was _not_ used to was the amount of attention that his partner got.

He knew Ladybug was far more favorable than his own alter ego to the public eye, and he didn't mind. Besides, they were always far too busy to stop and let admirers go up to them so he never had to deal with jealousy like that. (He chose to ignore the incident with Theo and Copycat.)

Marinette, on the other hand.

She was popular. Even more so after she became more confident - apparently she had been very shy before, according to Nino, and Adrien guessed it had something to do with being Ladybug that made her more open.

But she had been popular before being Ladybug too. According to Nino, it wasn't uncommon for the occasional admirer to confess his feelings for Marinette. Unfortunately, the poor girl never completely understood; when she did, she apologized and declined.

"She had never really _liked_ anyone until...well." Nino had chuckled, as if there was a joke somewhere in there. "Nah, nevermind, dude."

Adrien didn't like the implications of that statement; deep down, he always had a feeling his Lady harbored feelings for someone else, but he didn't want to admit it to himself.

From down the hallway, he watched as Marinette opened her locker, dozens of love letters and other Valentine's Day cards falling out. His heart thumped painfully as he wondered if her crush had slipped one inside too. Would she say yes if he had?

The designer sputtered, flustered by all the letters and even more so by Alya's teasing, and tried to collect the ones that had fallen. How could she go from being so confident and spunky to cute and speechless in a matter of seconds? It was unfair to Adrien's poor heart.

.

Maybe it was Nathanael?

Adrien remembered the artist had had a crush on her a while back. But he knew Nathanael didn't feel the same way anymore, considering he had been dating Chloe for the last few weeks. (No one knew how _that_ happened but Chloe had been oddly nicer since then and Nathanael had come out of his shell more, so it wasn't as if anyone was against them.)

But still. No matter how much it pained him to think about it, he sincerely hoped whoever his Princess liked felt the same way about her. She of all people shouldn't suffer from unrequited love; it was complete torture, and she didn't deserve that.

No one did, really.

.

Chat Noir sat on the edge of the Eiffel Tower, taking in the lights of his beautiful city. He watched with slight envy as numerous couples below the building embraced and celebrate the day of love.

He leaned back on his hands and looked up to the sky.

"I'm glad we're partners, my Lady, but I wish that meant more than just being superheroes together."

The stars above him failed to glitter as much as the tears that cascaded down his face.


End file.
